Buffalo project

The initiator of Global Child Welfare, Lut Verlinden, and her husband Tony, sponsor already from 2001 AVIJIT PARIYAR. They were looking for an opportunity to support also his family in another way.

The objective of the project is to give the opportunity to Sarangkot families to buy a buffalo with a so-called ‘soft loan’.  A buffalo can improve life standards a lot: they provide milk, and the manure is used to fertilize the soil.  Any surplus of milk can be sold.

Before 2007

In 2003 QOLN organised a lot of public meetings, and a committee was raised to lead the project.  Parents whose children came to the day-care centre could apply to get a water buffalo. The committee made a selection from the candidates on the basis of the following standards:

• families who are motivated to take upon themselves the care of the buffalo
• families who live below the poverty line and therefore do not have the money to buy a buffalo
• parents who are motivated to improve the health of their children by giving them milk
• families who can afford to pay a ‘soft loan’

In 2004, ten families were selected.  A contract was made, supervised by QOLN, the committee and the beneficiaries.  This implied:

A loan without interest was granted.  For the sum of 20.000 rupees (250€) those families could buy a water buffalo.
The loan has to be paid back within 2 years with monthly pay-offs of 485 rupees (wage of 2 to 3 days).  This money is transferred to a special bank account.  After 2 years other families can use this money to buy a buffalo with the same ‘soft loan’ system  The pilot project was supported by a donation of 25%.

Every beneficiary gets 1000 rupees as a deposit.  This sum can be used to pay a vet.

In case a buffalo dies QOLN – after an investigation -  pays for its replacement. A committee of villagers supports the beneficiary families and reports twice a month to the official committee, which, in turn, report to QOLN.

After this pilot project nine boroughs (VDCs or Village Development Committees) asked to join the project. With the support of Olivier Toulemonde and his French organization D.E.P.A.R.T.S. QOLN gave a micro-loan to 36 families in April 2007 and February 2008.

2009

D.E.P.A.R.T.S. also donated the money to launch another buffalo program in April 2009. QOLN made the applications for 18 new families to join this program. The hand-over was on Nepali New Year, which was on the 14th of April 2009.

The pilot project has now come to its end. From the 10 families 2 abandoned the project. The could not pay the monthly rent, sold the buffalo and returned the money. The other 8 families paid back the loan and the buffalo is now theirs, which make them very happy.

Nine boroughs (VDCs or Village Development Committees) have now asked to join the project. There is a meeting with the committees in January 2007.

With the money that was deposited on the bank QOLN was able to help another 5 families with a soft loan. This project is unique in Nepal. QOLN may be proud of the results. In the future we would like to help more families to acquire a buffalo in the same way.